A simple applicator of the prior art comprises an outer cylinder which holds in its interior a tampon near its forward end portion. An inner cylinder or plunger is inserted through a rearward opening of the outer cylinder and is slideable therein. When sliding the inner cylinder forward its front end abuts against the rearward end of the tampon, whereby the tampon, upon further advancing the inner cylinder, is pushed through the delivery opening out of the outer cylinder. An applicator of this type has a length of about 2.5 times the length of the tampon.
DE 30 11 612 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,125) discloses a tampon applicator comprising an outer cylinder and a pusher cylinder. The pusher cylinder is cut open in its front portion such that two elongated bars or legs are formed which, in cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pusher cylinder, have the shape of segments of the original cylinder wall. In its rearward portion the outer cylinder is provided with openings which are located behind the rearward end of the tampon when the latter is in its initial position in the outer cylinder. The openings are dimensioned so that through each opening one of the bars or legs of the pusher cylinder can be slid into the interior of the outer cylinder. Before use the pusher cylinder is positioned with its elongated bars engaging the outer wall of the outer cylinder and with its cylindrical end portion being located behind the rearward end of the outer cylinder. To use the applicator the pusher cylinder is first pulled back until the front ends of said elongated bars are in registration with the openings in the outer cylinder. Then, the forwards ends of the bars are introcuded into the openings and slid into the interior of the outer cylinder by pushing the pusher cylinder forward. In order to facilitate introduction of the elongated bars into the openings, the latter can be oriented in an inclination against the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, i.e. they can be located in a tapered portion of the outer cylinder, so that the bars can easily be introduced by moving their forward end portions through the openings into the interior of the outer cylinder. If the pusher cylinder is then pushed forward further, the elongated bars slide forward in the interior of the outer cylinder until they abut against the rearward end of the tampon located in the forward end portion of the outer cylinder. By further advancing the pusher cylinder the tampon is then pushed through the delivery opening out of the outer cylinder. The elongated bars have a certain flexibility or capability to bend along their longitudinal direction so that before use of the applicator they can lie on the outer surface of the outer cylinder and can, after introduction of the tips into the openings, move forward in abutment against the inner wall of the outer cylinder. A similar tampon applicator having a pusher cylinder with elongated bars which can be introduced through openings in the outer cylinder wall into the interior of the outer cylinder and are slideably moveable therein to push a tampon out of the delivery end of the outer cylinder is described in DE 30 31 838 (corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,991).
One disadvantage of these known applicators is that the outer cylinder and the pusher cylinder can be disengaged. Consequently the outer cylinder and the pusher cylinder can easily fall apart if they are not in close frictional engagement with each other. If, on the other hand, there is considerable friction between the outer cylinder and the pusher cylinder which, as mentioned, is needed so that both parts do not easily fall apart, it is very difficult to move the pusher cylinder against the strong friction relative to the outer cylinder. For this reason, comparatively strong forces are needed to push the tampon out of the outer cylinder. These frictional forces even increase with further advancing the pusher cylinder since the contact area on the inner wall of the cylinder increases. While moving the pusher cylinder against the friction forward it can also happen that it gets stuck within the outer cylinder.
Problems with frictional forces between the puhser cylinder and the outer cylinder in particular arise when environmental conditions like temperature, humidity etc. change which can result in a substantial increase of the force needed to press the pusher cylinder forward into the outer cylinder to push out the tampon.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tampon applicator which can easily be handled and which allows to push out the tampon in an easy and safe way.